The Final Battle for Syria Has Begun
It’s a showdown in Idlib province that pits Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and Assad against Turkey and its militia allies. But what’s the U.S. up to? Where’d the TOW missiles come from?
Jeremy Hodge Updated Jan. 26, 2020
GAZIANTEP, Turkey—Syrian activists report that the Assad regime has launched its most intense assault since the beginning of the war almost nine years ago. The target is Idlib, the last opposition holdout in northwestern Syria.
All indicators suggest that the campaign will produce a new humanitarian disaster and be the beginning of a final confrontation between the Syrian National Army (SNA)—an alliance of Turkish-backed armed opposition forces—and Russian-Iranian-backed pro-Assad units.
The fighting undermines the perception of a seamless Turkish-Russian rapprochement and reveals the hidden gridlock that exists even after years of negotiations over key issues that are critical to Turkey’s security and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s political prospects.
Read more at: https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-final-battle-for-syria-has-begun
In a nutshell, this place, Idlib has come under furious bombing.
For those interested,
"Call Syria" largely gives the opposition view.
Syrian Observer , here is an assembly of stories from all over, all over there at least.
Regime Forces Withdraw From Positions in Southern Idleb
Friday January 24th, 2020 by JESR (Opposition news)
An attack by the Turkistan Islamic Party has forced regime fighters to withdraw from southern Idleb, with 40 fighters killed reports Jesr.
The Russian Hemeimeem airbase’s Reconciliation Center announced that regime forces had, “left their positions in the de-escalation zone in southeastern Idleb after an attack by militants on Jan. 22, 2020.â€
The center claimed that regime forces had left their positions after an attack by, “about 200 militants from the Turkistan Islamic Party and 20 vehicles, tanks and armored vehicles†on Wednesday evening.
Read more at: https://syrianobserver.com/EN/news/55616/regime-forces-withdraw-from-positions-in-southern-idleb.html
You never really know what's going on over there and the nation is largely destroyed, it won't be like investors will step in unless there are big changes. I doubt if Russia has the money to fix the place.
